Summary
- Stephen Tobolowsky is proud of his role as Ned Ryerson in Groundhog Day, citing the difficulty in getting the film to the finished product as one of the reasons it stands out.
- The original script was revisited and scenes were constantly cut and reshaped, resulting in a brilliant film according to Tobolowsky.
- Tobolowsky praises Bill Murray's brilliance and Andie MacDowell's stunning performance, emphasizing her as the gift of the film.
Stephen Tobolowsky cites Groundhog Day as one of the projects he's most proud of during his decades-long career. His role in the classic comedy, albeit short, is unforgettable for fans of the film. He portrays insurance agent Ned Ryerson (aka Needlenose Ned), who annoys Bill Murray's Phil so much that he eventually punches him. For Tobolowsky, one of the reasons the film stands out is the difficulty in getting to the finished product — as the original script was revisited and the cast began "getting new pages every day." In a recent conversation with ComicBook.com, while promoting his new film Love Virtually, Tobolowsky recalled the arduous process (which he likens to "guerilla theater") of filming Groundhog Day.
"I'm very proud of 'Groundhog Day'...because it wasn't easy," Tobolowsky said. "It was a battle to create the show that it was. After the first week, [director] Harold Ramis got with Danny Rubin, our writer, and he says, 'What's the story we're really telling here?' Are we going to have a series of sequences where Bill just has no consequences and acts crazy, like he was doing in all of those movies back then, or are we telling the story about, what is the time of our life, and how do we use it? And Harold Ramis and Danny thought, 'Number two.' So they started cutting out scenes right and left that were in the original script and reshaped it. We were getting new pages every day; it was like guerilla theatre, doing Groundhog Day. And in a way, that either leads to disaster or leads to something brilliant. In terms of 'Groundhog Day,' it led to something just brilliant, what Harold Ramis and Danny Rubin did."
Tobolwosky went on to praise the film's stars Bill Murray and Andi MacDowell:
"And of course, Bill was brilliant, and Andie is just stunning. When you see the movie again, you realize the gift of the film is Andie McDowell. She's just so magnificent."
Stephen Tobolowsky Talks Groundhog Day Sequel
In a separate clip from ComicBook.com, Tobolowsky was asked if there were ever any talks for a Groundhog Day sequel. Tobolowsky revealed that while filming The Goldbergs (where he portrayed Principal Earl Ball) he was approached by "young, hip executives" who asked him if he'd be interested in doing additional work as Ned Myerson. Turns out, it wasn't for a sequel but a video game where Ned would be the town's new mayor. Towbolowsky said he was on board for the project but never heard from them again.
Before appearing in Groundhog Day, Tobolowsky had roles in movies including Spaceballs, Great Balls of Fire!, Bird on a Wire, and Thelma and Louise. Post-Groundhog Day, Tobolowsky had numerous memorable roles in films, including Memento and Freaky Friday, and on television series like Deadwood, Heroes, Glee, Californication, Silicon Valley, The Mindy Project, and the One Day at a Time revival. He currently hosts The Tobolowsky Files, an autobiographical podcast.
Groundhog Day, which follows Murray's Phil as he relives the same day repeatedly, has grown in popularity since its 1993 release; it is now considered one of the greatest films of the decade and one of the actor's most iconic movies. Groundhog Day is available to stream on Netflix. Groundhog Day is available to stream on Netflix.